Certified Benz & Beemer Compares 2016 Audi S8 VS 2016 BMW 7 Near Scottsdale, AZ

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Audi S8 are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The BMW 7 Series doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

Both the S8 and 7 Series have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The S8 has power child safety locks, allowing the driver to activate and deactivate them from the driver's seat and to know when they're engaged. The 7 Series’ child locks have to be individually engaged at each rear door with a manual switch. The driver can’t know the status of the locks without opening the doors and checking them.

The S8 has a standard Secondary Collision Brake Assist, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The 7 Series doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the S8. But it costs extra on the 7 Series.

Both the S8 and the 7 Series have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, daytime running lights, rearview cameras, available crash mitigating brakes, night vision systems and lane departure warning systems.

To reliably power the ignition and other systems and to recharge the battery, the S8 has a 190-amp alternator. The 7 Series’ standard 180-amp alternator isn’t as powerful.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2015 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Audi vehicles are more reliable than BMW vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Audi 14th in reliability, above the industry average. With 8 more problems per 100 vehicles, BMW is ranked 18th.

The S8 Plus’ 4.0 turbo V8 produces 160 more horsepower (605 vs. 445) and 73 lbs.-ft. more torque (553 vs. 480) than the 750i’s optional 4.4 turbo V8.

An engine control system that can shut down half of the engine’s cylinders helps improve the S8’s fuel efficiency. The 7 Series doesn’t offer a system that can shut down part of the engine.

The S8 has 1.1 gallons more fuel capacity than the 7 Series (21.7 vs. 20.6 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

For better stopping power the S8’s brake rotors are larger than those on the 7 Series:

The S8 offers optional heat-treated ceramic brake rotors, which last ten to twenty times as long as conventional cast iron rotors, don’t rust, don’t fade during repeated high speed braking, and their lighter weight contribute to better braking, handling and acceleration. The 7 Series doesn’t offer ceramic brake rotors.

The S8 stops shorter than the 7 Series:

For better traction, the S8 has larger standard tires than the 7 Series (265/35R21 vs. 245/50R18). The S8’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the 7 Series (275/35R21 vs. 245/50R18).

The S8’s tires provide better handling because they have a lower 35 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the 7 Series’ standard 50 series tires. The S8’s tires are lower profile than the 7 Series’ optional 45 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the S8 has standard 21-inch wheels. Smaller 18-inch wheels are standard on the 7 Series.

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the S8 is 1.3 inches wider in the front than on the 7 Series.

The S8 handles at .90 G’s, while the 750i xDrive pulls only .88 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the S8’s turning circle is 1.6 feet tighter than the 740i’s (40.4 feet vs. 42 feet). The S8’s turning circle is 1.9 feet tighter than the 750i’s (40.4 feet vs. 42.3 feet).

The S8 is 4.4 inches shorter than the 7 Series, making the S8 easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The S8 uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The 7 Series doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

The S8 has .2 inches more rear headroom and .1 inches more rear shoulder room than the 7 Series.

Heated windshield washer nozzles are standard on the S8 to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. The 7 Series doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The S8 has standard headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The 7 Series doesn’t offer headlight washers.

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the S8 has standard extendable sun visors. The 7 Series doesn’t offer extendable visors.